


hidden hope

by ciuucalata



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: First Kiss, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, but what else is new, keith gets hurt and he has to comfort lance, lance is insecure, mentions of blood but only once
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2018-10-25 20:23:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10771749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ciuucalata/pseuds/ciuucalata
Summary: Keith gets hurt during a mission and Lance blames himself for it.





	hidden hope

Keith groans as Lance jostles him in his arms while he runs towards where they left their lions.

“Sorry, sorry, sorry! I’m so sorry,” Lance keeps mumbling which makes Keith want to punch him but the wound on his side makes even thinking hard. “Thank God,” he hears Lance exhale which means that their lions are in sight.

Keith’s eyes are closed tight so he can’t see them but Red’s worried purrs in the back of his mind reassures him that he’s almost okay. He can feel a tinge of anger too somewhere buried deep but he doesn’t know if she’s angry at him or at Lance. He really hopes the exasperation is for him. He tries to respond to her purrs with some reassuring thoughts but it’s Lance’s voice that calms her down.

“He’s going to be okay, girl! Don’t worry, he’ll be fine. I’ll make sure of it.”

Red purrs once again grateful to Lance  and Keith isn’t sure if he felt it or not. He’s thankful though that Red is calmer now. There’s still a shade of something in their connection, but that for sure is only for Keith. There is too much and Keith is too wounded right now to do anything but concentrate on Lance’s frantic heartbeat in his throat.

He makes a note to himself to apologize to Red when he’s not feeling his blood slip through his fingers. He always makes her worry.

“Oh,” Lance says so full of surprise that Keith has to open his eyes.

“Wha-” he struggles to say his thoughts aloud. Lance shushes him gently almost immediately.

“It’s okay, love. We’re going back to the palace with Red.”

“Blue?” he tries asking about Lance’s lion and he feels relieved that at least he got out her name.

“Don’t worry about that. She’s a big girl,” Lance jokes but it feels forced. “She’ll follow us on her own.”

Keith hums in acknowledgement and, in his weakest moment, he nuzzles Lance’s collarbone. For whose comfort, he doesn’t really know, but both of them let out a shaky breath at the same time. Soon after he feels Lance’s lips on his clammy forehead.

“You’ll be fine,” he whispers and lowers Keith on the floor of the pilot’s cabin. Keith groans because of the movement, too weak to keep it all inside, and Lance apologizes once again as his fingers comb through the other boy’s hair.

* * *

Keith finds Lance easily, after all he has only two hiding places: his room and Blue’s hangar. It’s not because he’s simple or because he’s predictable, but Keith thinks that those are the only places that Lance feels like he can be himself without having to put up a smile for anyone.

Usually, he’d leave Lance alone but ever since Keith has been out of the cryopod, he feels like the other boy is avoiding him. And that bothers him because not feeling Lance’s presence by his side makes him restless.

“Lance,” he calls out and his voice echoes around the enormous hangar. Usually it’s really quiet here, and it would’ve been now too if it weren’t for the muffled sobs and hiccups. Keith recognizes them immediately and he feels his heart squeeze painfully because it’s his fault that Lance is crying right now.

He freezes only for a second though before he continues his way towards Blue. He can feel her eyes on him before he looks up at her, almost like she’s judging him.

His gaze is steady even when Blue lowers her head and opens her mouth to let him walk inside. He passes his hands on her walls in a thankful gesture as he walks towards the pilot’s cabin.

The sobs are louder now since he’s closer to their source and Keith has to take in a shaky breath before he steps inside.

“Lance,” Keith calls softly, so quiet actually that he wonders if the other boy heard it.

“Keith?” he hears a hoarse whisper answering him.

“Yeah, I’m here.”

Lance groans and shuffles in his seat as he sniffs. Keith stays quiet, just watching the back of the pilot chair and letting Lance come to him when he feels more under control. Of course he hates that he has been ignored by the other boy  and wants to know why, but if Lance will ask him to leave now, he’d turn around without saying another word.

“I’m sorry,” Lance offers in the end.

“What are you sorry for, Lance?” Keith frowns moving towards him. He watches as Lance curls up further in the seat, looking like a small child that has been scolded by his parents. His legs are up, hugged to his chest by his arms while his forehead’s leaning on his knees. Keith wants to hug him and pull out all the thoughts that make Lance-strong, radiant, brilliant Lance- act like this.“What are you sorry for?”

He hears some mumbling coming from the other boy.

“Lance, please.”

Lance whimpers before he suddenly throws his hands up, almost hitting Keith. He turns to look up at the other boy, eyes red and full of tears that still keep streaming down his cheeks.

“I’m sorry because you almost died because of me, Keith!” he snaps. “I’m sorry that you had to take that shot for me because I wasn’t careful enough. I’m sorry that I’m so useless, that-” his voice breaks, a fresh wave of tears falling from his eyes.

Lance reaches out a hand and takes Keith’s in his, squeezing tight.

“You almost died in my arms and I- I couldn’t lose you because of my mistake. Oh god you almost died in Red. And all because of my stupid _stupid_ mistake. They need you more than they need me. I’m just...You're more important.”

Keith’s free hand moves without him and soon his thumb wipes away the hot tears. It stays there because it seems like it calms down Lance. He has to admit that that it has the same effect on him.

It feels grounding. It makes them understand that they are here and they are fine for now. It brings to the surface their feelings, raw and real and with no chance to be hidden ever again.

“Please don’t talk like that,” Keith whispers, the tears making his vision become a little blurry. “Lance, Lance… look at me, please. You’re not useless. You’re not stupid. You’re human and we, humans, make mistakes. You’re essential to this team and trust me when I say that _you_ are what keeps all of us together. We need you,” he admits as Lance’s free hand grips his shirt and tugs Keith down towards him. “I need you,” he breathes against Lance’s lips.

Their first kiss tastes like tears and regret, but there’s also something else deep down. There’s hope for them and a dream that they are both going to share from now on.

**Author's Note:**

> aaaah i know this is really short i was actually thinking of not posting it here but i kinda like it so here it is  
> thank you so much for reading this!!
> 
>  
> 
> you can also find me on tumblr @[ciuucalata](http://ciuucalata.tumblr.com/)


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